 
A Condensed History of the Lawsuit Against the Cologne Police! The police of Germany are very strict in matters of false billing or misrepresenting exhibitions to the public, and the case of the well-known Dr. Slade, also a well-known American "thaumaturgic" performer, as also an equally familiar "magnetic" woman, and several others who have clashed with the German police will probably also call in mind the latest case of the flower medium, Mrs. Rothe, who was sentenced to two years in prison and 500 marks fine. What for? Well, she deceived the public in telling them that she could obtain communications from the spirit world. This the police claim was obtaining money under false pretense, and there you are. The Cologne police claimed that Houdini was also traveling about misrepresenting, and that all he did was "swindle." The chief one was Schutzmann Werner Graff, who openly published a false story in the Rheinische Zeitung, which put Houdini in a very bad light, and, as a man of honor, Houdini could not overlook the insult. He claimed that he had been slandered, and asked an apology, also a retraction of the false stories, which all the Engaging the best lawyer of Cologne, Herr Rechtsantwalt Dr. Schreiber, Louisenstrasse 17, this able lawyer defended Houdini in all three instances. Houdini, as Chained and Handcuffed Before the Judges in the First Trial of His Action Against the Royal Police of Cologne. Houdini, as Chained and Handcuffed Before the Judges in the First Trial of His Action Against the Royal Police of Cologne. The first trial occurred in Cologne, Feb. 19, 1902; in this trial Houdini charged the Schutzman Werner Graff for publicly slandering him, whereupon, as answer, Herr Graff told the judge and jury that he was willing to prove that Houdini was misrepresenting, that he could chain Houdini so that he could not release himself. Houdini permitted himself to be chained by Herr Transport Police Lott, and to show how easy it was he wilfully showed to the judge and jury how he opened the chain and lock. After a four days' trial, Houdini won the lawsuit, and the Cologne police were fined, and were to publicly apologize to Houdini, "In the Name of the Kaiser." Instead of so doing, they took it to the higher court, "Strafkammer." At this trial they had specially manufactured a lock, which was made by Master Mechanic Kroch, a lock that when once locked nothing would open it; even the key could not open the lock. The police asked that Houdini should show his ability by opening this lock after it had once been locked. The following is a free translation of what the press had to say at the second trial. Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled by the San Francisco Police, July, 1899. Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled by the San Francisco Police, July, 1899. In the highest court (Strafkammer zu KÖln Yuli 26, 1902) Police Officer Werner Graff was found guilty of slandering Harry Houdini, heavily fined, he must pay all costs, and insert an advertisement in all of the Cologne newspapers, proclaiming his punishment, at the same time, "IN THE NAME OF THE KING," openly apologize to Houdini for insulting him. This open apology is the severest punishment that can be given to a royal official, and as the lawsuit has been running over a year, the costs will run into the thousands of marks. The case was first tried in the SchÖffengericht KÖln, Feb. 19, 1902, and Werner Graff was found guilty, but he took it to the highest court, and again Houdini won. The Cologne police claimed that all Houdini advertised to do was misrepresentation (this was the cause of the lawsuit); for the trial they had a special lock made that, after it was once locked, no key would open it. This lock they challenged Houdini to open, to prove that he was not misrepresenting. Houdini accepts the challenge, walks into the room selected by Among the thirty police officials that testified against Houdini were some of the highest officials of Cologne, but Houdini won; in fact, he was "one" too many for them. Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled by the Dresden (Germany) Police, September, 1900. Houdini as Handcuffed and Manacled by the Dresden (Germany) Police, September, 1900. Houdini as Handcuffed, Elbow-ironed, and Thumbscrewed by the Berlin Police, October, 1900. Houdini as Handcuffed, Elbow-ironed, and Thumbscrewed by the Berlin Police, October, 1900. It being a disgrace for Schutzman Werner Graff to have this punishment on him, with the assistance of the police, he took it to the highest court in Germany, "Oberlandesgericht," and there the learned judges again gave Houdini the verdict from which there is no appeal. Below is a free translation of the apology as printed in the German papers: IN THE NAME OF THE KING BE it known that the artiste, known as HARRY HOUDINI, of America, New York City, against the Cologne Police Schutzman Werner Graff, for slandering (insulting). The Demonstration Before the German Judiciary. The Demonstration Before the German Judiciary. [Text in illustration: The Imperial Police of Cologne slanderously libeled HARRY HOUDINI, stating his advertised tricks were swindles! HOUDINI answered them by sueing for "An Honorary Public Apology". The Police lost the Case in the three highest Courts, as they were unable to fetter or Chain HOUDINI in an unescapeable manner. He was even successful in opening a special lock that they had constructed which after it had once been locked could not be opened!
Having lost the case in all three trials the Police were ultimately compelled to publicly advertise "An Honorary Apology" and pay all costs of the trials. By command of Kaiser WILHELM II. Emperor of Germany.] The Royal SchÖffengericht, the third "Ferienstrafkammer," found Werner Graff guilty of slandering Houdini, and the Oberlandesgericht Court also find that the Royal SchÖffengericht was justified in finding Graff guilty of the charges. Werner Graff is guilty of "Openly Slandering" Houdini, for being the chief instigator of the article which he caused to be inserted in the Rheinische Zeitung July 25, 1901, number of edition 170, and the head-lines which read "Houdini, the world-famous Handcuff Releaser." Being found guilty of the above charge, Werner Graff is fined 30 marks in money, and should he fail to pay the sum fine, he will serve a day in prison for every 5 marks; and is also fined to pay all costs of the three trials. Houdini, as Handcuffed by the Vienna Police, March, 1902. Houdini, as Handcuffed by the Vienna Police, March, 1902. Houdini has the right to publish the verdict one time in the Cologne newspapers at the cost of Schutzman Werner Graff. For the rightful writing of this verdict, we sign as responsibilities, Coln, Oct. 24, 1902. Stock Sekretar. Gerichtsschreiber des Kgl. Amtsgericht Abtlg VI.—9. It will be of interest to note that Houdini has escaped out of prisons and cells in the following cities: New York, W. 125th Street Police Station, W. 68th Street Police Station, and W. 37th Street; Brooklyn, N. Y.; Newark, N. J.; Salem, Mass.; Lowell, Mass.; Rochester, N. Y.; Baltimore; Washington (3 different places); Detroit, Mich.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Providence, R. I.; Kansas City; Buffalo, N. Y.; and Chicago, Ill.; Amsterdam, Hague; Dordrecht, Holland; Moscow, Russia; Halifax; Bradford; Leicester; Burnley; Leeds; Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Sheffield; Liverpool; South Shields; Salford; Huddersfield; Manchester; St. Helens; Stockton-on-Tees; Eastbourne; Newport, Mon. Space prohibits the publication of all certificates from the various chiefs of police, but a few are selected, which follow: This is to certify that Mr. Harry Houdini was this day stripped stark naked and locked in the cell which once contained Charles Peace. The cell was searched and triple-locked, but Mr. Houdini released himself and redressed in five minutes, having also opened the iron gate of the corridor. Charles Peace, notorious criminal in Great Britain An exceedingly rare photograph of Charles Peace, shrewdest, most dangerous and notorious criminal in the annals of Crime in Great Britain. Peace broke jail a number of times but failed to escape from this cell in Sheffield. He was hanged at the Armley jail. Houdini escaped from this cell, as Chief Constable Scott's certificate on page 12 shows. Harry Houdini was made to disrobe, and in a nude condition was locked into the Moscow transportation cell or carette, and in less than 20 minutes he had managed to make his escape. The searching Houdini had to submit to in the hands of the secret Russian police was the severest he has ever had to undergo. Never in the history of the Russian police has any one been able to escape out of this or any other transportation carette. This feat was accomplished in the presence of Chief of the Secret Police Cos, Lebadeff. Houdini was booked for one month in Moscow, but after this feat he was prolonged for four months, and proved the greatest sensation that ever visited Russia. From the German police Houdini possesses certificates from the cities of Berlin, Dresden, Dusseldorf, Essen Ruhr, Barmen, Bremen, Dortmund, Leipzig, Frankfort A/M, Hanover, etc.; but the following is the principal one: Harry Houdini, the American, was handcuffed and leg-ironed with the irons used here, in the presence of a large number of the highest police officials of Germany. Houdini managed to free himself from everything, by mysteriously opening the locks, in a manner which is unexplainable to us. The cuffs were uninjured. Von Windheim was the highest police official in all Germany. The Kaiser's signature was the only name that stood higher in Germany. The Preparation for Incarceration in the Siberian Transport Carette. The Preparation for Incarceration in the Siberian Transport Carette. [Text in illustration: Chief of the Secret Russian Police LEBEDOEFF has HARRY HOUDINI stripped stark naked and searched then locked up in the Siberian Transport Cell or Carette, May 10/1903 in Moscow and in 28 minutes HOUDINI had made his escape to the unspeakable astonishment of the Russian Police.] The Daily Illustrated Mirror, March 18th, 1904. |
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